Ambacher joins Leu Leu after serving as executive chef at Oceanside’s acclaimed Dija Mara, a five-time Michelin Bib Gourmand honoree known for its Balinese-inspired cuisine and adventurous, technique-forward cooking. He brings with him a pedigree of foraging, fermenting, and Mediterranean-influenced flavor-building - a throughline shaped partly by his grandfather’s Greek kitchen.
“I feel lucky to be able to honor my Greek heritage in such a beautiful, fun, and intimate space,” Ambacher said, calling Leu Leu an opportunity to push deeper into Mediterranean cuisine while drawing from the woodland and shoreline ingredients that define his cooking style. His menu changes will be rolled out gradually to maintain the global spirit that initially defined the restaurant.
Ambacher’s arrival follows the sudden October departure of Chef Claudette Zepeda, the high-profile San Diego chef and television personality whose exit added another chapter to her series of short-lived restaurant ventures. Zepeda announced she was leaving Leu Leu to focus on filming commitments, her company Chispa Hospitality, and an upcoming book - though she later posted a collage of the viral “Nicole Kidman after divorce” photos, widely interpreted as signaling relief and raising questions about behind-the-scenes tensions.
In response to SanDiegoVille’s earlier reporting about her pattern of short-tenured partnerships, Zepeda sent a pointed message stating, “Have you ever thought that as a woman in this industry, I have never felt safe in the partnerships that I say yes to? Poor reporting is unbecoming…” She later clarified that she was making no allegations against Leu Leu specifically but encouraged broader scrutiny of assumptions within the industry.
Leu Leu, for its part, responded with a succinct public statement: “We have moved on from Chef Claudette and wish her nothing but health and wellness.” Privately, ownership expressed gratitude for her creative contributions while reiterating that the restaurant was continuing forward with new leadership.
Leu Leu owner Jason Janecek described the restaurant’s newest chapter as a “return to our roots,” one grounded in the spirit of gathering, storytelling, music, and shared meals. Leu Leu, opened in February 2025 inside a 1930s bungalow redesigned by Design 4 Corners, built its identity on globally influenced dishes, natural wines, and moody, bohemian aesthetics - a reflection of Leucadia’s free-spirited sensibilities.
Now, with Ambacher’s arrival, the culinary direction is shifting toward Mediterranean-leaning dishes, seasonal vegetables, fermented flavors, and earth-driven techniques. The kitchen will slowly evolve rather than overhaul, a move meant to retain Leu Leu’s identity while expanding its depth.
The restaurant also just launched a new “Pour Decisions” Wine Club, offering two hand-selected bottles each month, complimentary pours for members dining at Leu Leu, and monthly pickup parties. The first event is scheduled for Sunday, December 14.
As Leu Leu enters its next phase, the restaurant hopes to stabilize after months of uncertainty and reassert itself as a neighborhood anchor. With Ambacher’s steady, thoughtful approach - and with the turbulence of Zepeda’s departure now behind it - Leu Leu appears poised to grow into the intimate, storytelling-driven culinary lounge it originally set out to become.
Leu Leu is located at 466 N. Highway 101 in San Diego's North County city of Encinitas. For more information, visit leuleuleucadia.com.
Originally published on November 27, 2025.